Traveling abroad doesn’t have to be intimidating. The farther you go from your cultural traditions, the more you will want to prepare ahead of your journey. Many of us didn’t grow up with the luxury of international travel. If we left our home state before we were 18, we were doing great. I’ve done my share of international trips and the first few were really scary. But now that I have the hang of it, it’s as simple as getting in my car going to the market. Read further for some practical international travel tips.
Here I’ll share a few fail safe things to do before you book and certainly before you board your flight. Follow these steps and no one will know it’s your first time traveling abroad. I call it “Fly Faking It”.
1. Check the validity of your passport (assuming you have one)
The US Passport is valid for 10 years. The process to get one is pretty simple. You take your photo. You complete the paperwork and mail it to the appropriate authorities to be processed. That said, you can’t control processing times and in recent years they have been pretty long. Refer to the US Department of State to gain a better understanding of what to expect. But that’s not the tip.
Where most travelers go wrong, they forget to check the expiration date on their passports. Most countries require you to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the end of your planned trip. Specifically, if you plan to be there in June make sure your passport doesn’t expire before January.
2. A Visa might be required
I once asked a person if they had a visa when we were discussing traveling abroad and they said “Yes. And a MasterCard too”. Hmmmm. That said, let me clarify. Every country has entry requirements. Some indicate you need a visa. When you read this, they are not talking about the credit card. A visa is sort of a “permission to enter” slip issued by the embassy of the country you wish to visit. Some countries require them and others do not. Some countries offer a visa upon arrival and some require you to have your approval before you arrive at the destination. You will need to read up on your destination to learn more.
It can be a bit complicated to figure out. Therefore, you should seek guidance from a resource that understands all the rules for the destination before you book that flight. This is one international travel tip that you should not take lightly. Do it wrong and you could be heading home without ever setting foot outside of the airport.
3. Vaccinations and Health Requirements
You don’t have to get a slew of shots every time you leave the US. Despite this, you might want to roll up your sleeves and pop a few pills to protect you from …well… from anything you might ingest or come in contact. Mosquitos carry diseases. Water could be contaminated. That burger or chicken might be from a farm that doesn’t meet all of the standards that your body may have become accustomed. I have a friend who had the welcome drink at her resort and spent the next three days praying to the porcelain gods. Nobody needs that.
Learn about the country. Also, pack any medications that you might need. It can be hard to find Tums or Pepto in the backwoods of Kenya. Learn how to find a pharmacy in whatever country you are visiting. “Apothoke” in Germany. “Apotheek” in Netherlands. “Yakkyoku” in Japan. “Farmacia” in Italy. You get my point. I’ve had to find a pharmacy in each of the countries I mentioned and perform charades in hopes to get the appropriate medication.
4. Packing for an international trip
Ok…admit it. We like to be fly with at least 2 outfits per day and coordinated shoes, bags and accessories for every occasion. This adds up in space and more importantly in weight. So unless you have an entourage like the Real Housewives of Atlanta, Orange County or wherever, you will want to slim down your packing. Some tips to help:
- Buy a good suitcase. I’ve tried a few and by far my favorite for international trips is the brand Away. They are durable, have integrated locks and built in compression sleeves. Mine even has a dirty laundry bag to keep things separated.
- Minimize the number of bags you bring. Many airlines charge a fee for bags and and those fees go up with every additional bag.
- Find lightweight luggage. You probably never weighed your empty suitcase before and you might be surprised at how much the bag alone weighs before you put anything in it. The lighter the better.
- Maximize toiletries. Buy travel sized items or some travel sized reusable containers. This can be tricky depending on your needs. Nonetheless, don’t bring full sized containers of anything if you can avoid it.
- Bring flats/sneakers. Many city streets/sidewalks are cobble or some other uneven and dangerous surface. Your feet need as much contact with the surface as possible. You can thank me later. No one needs to deal with a broken hip from a slip and fall on vacation.
- Pick a primary color palette. Then coordinate around a max of two colors and go with that for accessories, shoes, etc. One pair of dressyish shoes, a convertible bag that can go from day to night… you get my drift. Those yellow 6 inch pumps are hot, but if you only have one outfit that they go with for the trip, save them for brunch with your girls when you return. Multiple pairs of AirForce Ones are equally unnecessary.
- Don’t forget the essentials. You know what yours would be. Generally mine are extra contact lenses, lotion (because hotel lotion doesn’t work for me), lightweight jacket or scarf, chargers, convertors, medicines, toothpaste the list goes on. Some things are easy to find in other place and some are not. No one wants to spend the first day of their trip racing around town trying to find deodorant.
- Review local customs. Depending on your destination, there may be some more stringent rules for what you wear in different places. For example, when visiting a temple in Indonesia or a chapel in France your shoulders should be covered. If this is or may be a part of your plan bring something that adheres to the customs. Actually, bring something to cover up no matter what because you never know where your adventures might take you.
- Triple check that you have your passport in your carryon bag. There is nothing worse than arriving at the airport ready for your journey only to find that you left the passport at home in the drawer. That has only happened to me once…rookie mistake. And if for some reason you have to check that carryon bag, make sure you remove your passport. You will pass through immigration, before you get your bag from baggage claim.
- Learn a few phrases. It’s mostly out of respect but I have learned to say hello, goodbye, excuse me, please and thank you in about 20 different languages. It has been very helpful.
Certainly, most of these tips are good for domestic and international journeys. So use them whenever you travel.
Boarding that Flight
Almost there. You’ve made it to the airport, cleared TSA and have found your way to the gate. All before your flight starts boarding. You are certainly winning. That said, if you are flying more than 4 hours to your destination there are a few more considerations.
Food. Eating the plane is hit or miss. Most airlines will provide something if your flight is over a certain number of hours. Whether or not you want to eat that something is a totally different ballgame. Carriers tend to serve food that locally appropriate for the carrier’s origin. You might get a croissant for breakfast when traveling on Air France or congee when traveling on Air China. Perhaps eat or grab something easy before you board.
Seats. Where you sit will likely have been decided by now. But just in case you have options, here are a few things to consider. Avoid the things that annoy you about being around other people like getting bumped by people walking through the aisle, or having to wake someone to let you out to go to the bathroom. Speaking of bathrooms, avoid sitting next to them. On long flights, they stink. There is not enough air freshener in the world to cover what comes out of there. Additionally, people like to hover near service areas, which can become a nuisance so get a spot that is away from them. If you are traveling with a companion, try booking the window and the aisle closer to the back of the plane. If the flight isn’t full, you might end up with the row to yourself.
Snacks. If you bring fruit or beef jerky onboard to hold you over, eat up. The the easiest way to get detained by customs is by bringing in fruit or meat products from a foreign country…they don’t play that game and for good reason. You might be carrying insects or other vermin that are not native to the country and can destroy everything.
6+ hours is a long time to be on a flight but once you make it to your destination, you will be rewarded if you’ve planned well.
Arrival Considerations
If you’ve left the United States, it’s safe to assume they are probably not dealing in the US dollar so download the XE.com app. It will make doing currency conversions so easy. Additionally, I recommend getting cash from an ATM in the airport to have for your journey. It’s generally cheaper than converting USD to local currency and you will be happy to have some currency to pay for taxi or tips when you first arrive.
Next, download a reliable language translation tool. I use google translate as you can use the camera on your phone to capture and translate text in real time. There are many useful tools out there so pick the one that works for you. Even with the tool, learning a few phrases is a great way to show respect for the culture of the place you are visiting.
Getting through customs and immigration can be daunting. Therefore you should pack your patience and make sure you have the address of where you will be staying and all the proper entry items ready for inspection. I don’t play with immigration. They are most certainly in control when you are looking to enter the country. So answer honestly, put down your phone and show respect.
Finally
Familiarize yourself with local transportation options and make sure you understand how you will be getting from the airport to your hotel before you arrive. I was almost kidnapped once in a South American country by some random driver that drove me to a 7-11 to get cash. I refused and insisted that he return me to the airport. Luckily he took me back. That will never happen again. Pre arrange your transportation or stick with authorized airport services and track the route as you go. You can never be too careful.
With these international travel tips you will be ready to take on that international journey. Relax and immerse yourself in all the things that are new and different from your home country. And by all means, don’t run to the first McDonalds you see abroad. Indulge in some local cuisine and add a few new experiences to your life.
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